What is it really like?

20 comments

1. Never heard anyone say it’s unsafe. It’s legit the safest place you’ve probably ever been

2. Who told you it’s unsafe lol? Okinawa makes America look like a mad mad wasteland. I see 5 year olds here walking down the street to go fishing by themselves. It’s incredibly safe.

   Anyone who said there’s no greenery never left their house.

   They are right that it’s hot as hell in the summer, but most of the time it’s pretty nice out.

3. You nailed it in the first few sentences. Those who never get off base are typically miserable but those who get out and explore find great things to do and meet great people along the way. Never gets above 100 but is humid as hell. It’s an island so ocean breeze is pretty constant but if you’re in a valley you wouldn’t feel the breeze. Telephone is something I’d recommend you purchase here instead of trying to stay on a US plan. They have fair deals on phones with 2 year contract plans.

4. More like low 50s to low 90s, but the humidity is brutal. It’s very urban in some areas, but you’re never far from a beautiful beach. I spent 6 years there through two separate assignments and plan on moving back as a civilian once I save enough money. The work there is busy, but Okinawa is great.

5. Okinawa is incredibly safe. I run at night here which I never could in the states.

   There are cities but also insanely beautiful jungles and mountains.

   It’s super humid in the summer but the fall-spring is lovely. Winter is the best, temps are perfect and the cherry blossoms bloom.

   Getting a Japanese number is best imo. I use SoftBank.

6. If someone tells you they “never left base” ignore everything they say after that.

   More safe then anywhere stateside. Weather is solid, food is good, people are nice.

   Use your time here to travel. Quick trips to the surrounding islands, mainland Japan or even Korea are pretty cheap too.

7. Been here 2 years; absolutely love it and hoping to extend.

8. It’s almost always windy here. Just nothing insane unless a typhoon is close.

   Winter is cool, but coming from the Midwest… that means a hoodie and shorts.

9. I was there in the late 60’s and it was the best place i ever lived. SCUBA diving is world class. Check out the Ry Cooder song -“Going Back to Okinawa “ that says it all.

10. Japanese phone numbers are very helpful to have so I do recommend getting one. It’s not like the U.S. though, only about 15-20$ for a basic line. I recommend JP smart, very easy and English friendly. 

    Okinawa is both a concrete jungle and home to beautiful nature and endemic wildlife. It gets hot and humid as hell in the summer and summer lasts May to November. It finally cooled down two weeks ago, and by cool down I mean it’s a high of 75 every day. At least it’s usually breezy here.

    No idea why anyone would call Okinawa unsafe. Aside from the bases of course.

11. I’ve lived in Hawaii and Okinawa. Hawaii was the most beautiful place I’ve ever lived and every day, I felt connected to the Earth. Okinawa is the most affordable place I’ve ever lived. My family and I have been able to take multiple trips to mainland plus South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Taiwan, and Vietnam. My kids would not have had these same (affordable) opportunities anywhere else.
    Okinawa is beautiful and the rest of Japan too. I think it outranks Hawaii for me because we can afford to do more here.

12. urban areas off base could be described as a concrete jungle- however- it is because of the typhoons. if you go to google street views and wander the streets- you will see that there is a lot of plants visible in the urban areas – esp. around houses. Go north and you will find forests and such ( there is a reason why there are those military jungle survival courses held there)

    and when you try to compare hawaii to Okinawa- Hawaii as in Oahu is what comes to mind. large homeless problem, lots of issues with locals vs haoles, okinawa – there is a trend to not liking the American government but not hating on the American citizens ( unless they behave like a stereotypical rude American- in which case the locals will give strong push back to the rude Americans)

    I lived in both Hawaii and Okinawa- and id much rather go back to live on Okinawa rather than Oahu.
    ( okinawan schools dont have a kill haole day at school as far as I know )- nor do the have ‘locals only’ attitude towards non locals like the some of the local Hawaiian residents have.

    Of course- its been decades since i lived at either place- and from Google map tours of my old stomping grounds – I can see huge changes in both places.

13. My family is from Okinawa and I still go back often to visit! The most unsafe thing about Okinawa comes from the military personnel stationed there tbh but even still it’s much safer than anywhere you’d live here in the States. The island is absolutely beautiful with some amazing nature spots and historical landmarks. Cities like Naha could be considered “concrete jungles” but Japan’s concrete jungles are not comparable to America’s concrete jungles. The summers can be tough though, it gets HUMID. Depending on your tolerance that could be something that’s difficult for you. People in Okinawa are some of the most heart felt people I know, even if you only know a handful of the most basic Japanese they will welcome you with open arms and treat you like family. The food, scenery, culture, and activities in Okinawa are amazing and such a great experience and I think you’ll enjoy your time there!

14. I have the Verizon international plan and don’t have any problems calling anywhere on island. You just have to figure out the exchange code for calling a Japanese number.

    I’ve never been to Hawaii but everyone says Oki is the Hawaii of Japan. It is beautiful here. The winter is the time for outdoor activities like hiking and camping. Summer is for beach. It’s too hot and humid for much else in the summer.

    I live off base but we are not directly affiliated with the military so that might not be an option for you. I definitely recommend exploring off base. It is much cheaper to shop and eat off base when possible. Most every local I have met has been very kind.

    Your experience is definitely going to be up to you but if you enjoy exploring and experiencing a new culture you will love it here

15. I grew up on Okinawa and lived on the Big Island of Hawaii many years later as an adult. They are both beautiful, the beaches are stunning, and there’s plenty of green although–as others have pointed out–lots of concrete in the Okinawan cities because the typhoons ARE destructive.

    Big Island weather is temperate for the most part in a narrow range between about 65 and 85 except for occasional drought/s or heatwaves and very humid. Okinawa, OTOH was quite hot in the summer (90’s) and still very humid, which made it kind of miserable. AC really helps, not only with the heat, but also to reduce the indoor humidity to some degree. I remember people had lights in their closets to discourage mold growing on clothing that held the dampness. And leather things like shoes and purses would get moldy, paperclips and staples oxidized, etc. That was unpleasant.

    During the winters we wore jackets and felt really cold–it was in the mid-60’s–LOL. The rainy season is relentless during the time it’s happening. Most places are built to withstand typhoons. There were some big earthquakes, too (but now I live in California). Bugs and spiders were big, habu (venomous snakes) are terrifying and I still have an irrational fear of even garter snakes. But you will learn ways to keep safe from the natural hazards.

    Explore and have a great time. Try to get away from the cities out to the more rural areas so you can see what it was like in my day (1960’s). Beautiful, lush, terraced landscapes surrounded by the most beautiful seas. It will be in my heart forever.

16. We lived on Oki fairly recently, and we loved it. We lived off base. One of my kids attended an off base preschool and had a wonderful experience. Both of my kids did karate off base at a neighborhood dojo, did Japanese lessons through Churakids (they also did their cooking club, helped with beach cleanups and did a summer camp with them), they did summer camps with Blue Reef where they got to try surfing, snorkeled, learned ocean safety, and my oldest got to learn Taiko through AEIS after school program (I think it’s 3-5 grade on Kadena). They could walk to the conbini and buy their own snacks without safety concerns. The buildings maybe aren’t beautiful but they are definitely safe. The food is delicious, the culture is beautiful and the people are generally warm and friendly. I’d 1,000% go back. I’ve also lived on Oahu and visited yearly or every other year (family is there). It’s beautiful and I wouldn’t mind my husband getting orders there but of the two I like Okinawa more.

17. Like anything in life, it is what you make it. Okinawa has a ton to offer. Of course if you don’t leave the base you’ll probably be miserable. If off base housing is an option you should 100% do that. Not only is Okinawa great, especially if your family hasn’t travelled abroad, there’s so much fairly cheap regional travel to take advantage of. I’m always shocked to hear service members not enjoying there time here. Sure, there are some warts and annoyances, but the food, the people, the culture, the history, and ever else make this a potentially special experience. DM me if I can answer anything specifically. Personally, and I have lived many many places abroad, am very happy here.

18. I retired out here and now work as a contractor with a lot of young marines. There’s plenty that do get out, but a vast majority stay on base and blow their money on alcohol. Venturing out means going to gate 2 street. They’re often in trouble so weekend formations or lock downs (for them) aren’t all that uncommon. I could see how a different answer would come from a younger marine.

19. Spent 1973-74 in Okinawa (Marines). It was great.

20. We (my husband and I) just got back to the States from living in kadena (army) for 3 years, and we LOVED IT.
    We tried new things like snorkeling at the beach. Going to the tidepools during low tide. You will be coming into Japan during their winter/spring just in time for the cherry blossom festival.
    If you are traveling with kids or just LOVE animals, I recommend these places:
    Aquarium in Nago
    TeamLabs in naha
    Dog Cafe Wonderful right outside kadena
    Neo park in Nago
    PetBox near American village
    Aquarium in naha.

    If you are a huge anime nerd, you are going to want to hit up ALL of the manga souko locations. Think claw machine arcades and second-hand store PLUS discount figures!

    Honorable mentions:
    mega don quiote
    Yakiniku king
    Blue seal ice cream
    Pachinko

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